Exams and Tests

An exam will show:

Low blood pressure (most often less than 90 systolic)

Blood pressure that drops more than 10 points when you stand up after lying down (orthostatic hypotension)

Weak (thready) pulse

To diagnose cardiogenic shock, a catheter (tube) may be placed in the lung artery (right heart catheterization). Tests may show that blood is backing up into the lungs and the heart is not pumping well.